 |
| clipartoday.com |
Am I doing it wrong???
When I say wrong, I mean planning, structuring, organizing, common core - time management. Let me explain with a sample of my "planning schedule" from last week.
During the Week
Work Day is usually 7:30 - 5:00 so 9.5 hours
After school I plan after the kids go to bed so 1.5 - 2 hours
Friday, regular work day plus 4 hours
Weekend
Saturday I visited family - an indulgence I know - so 4 hours
Sunday after church I put in 9 hours
Monday (Labor Day) I worked for 16 hours
(I paid for the Saturday indulgence - usually I put in those hours on Saturday)
So to break it down - I spend 88.5 hours planning/teaching. If I assume 8 hours of sleep a night (ahhhh, a woman can dream) then that is 56 hours sleeping. That leaves me 23.5 hours a week to spend with my family and to eat.
So one day. Oh yeah, so that is why I don't sleep. I knew there was a good reason. My groggy mind just couldn't figure it out. Ha, ha!
This is why I asked my husband last night, "Am I doing it wrong?" (Whoa, ladies, out of the gutter, this is an educational blog!)
His advice was to ask the blogging community. Pretty good advice. So I'm asking you.
 |
| nyworms.com |
What is your time break down?
Am I doing it wrong?
Does your planning time look similar?
Thematic planning? Does anyone do this? Does it help? How do you structure it? Does it change the way you plan to make it better or worse?
Can I get my time back OR do I need to put on my big girl panties and deal with it?
I would love to hear your thoughts because I fear I'm burning out and we're only 3 weeks in. Yikes! As a 12 year veteran I know the danger of that. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this. Stress and time management are huge for teachers. I would love your advice.
Just to thank you for letting me pick your brain, here is something I made during that 88.5 hours. It is a Reading Response sheet for main idea. Thanks to Tracee Orman for the great frame! I hope you find it useful!
Wow, I have never broken down my time like that before. I should really do that! But, that being said, after 12 years (like you) I've had to figure out a better way to manage my time. If I stay late at school, I don't bring anything home. I only work on Sundays, not Saturdays. And I use any time during the school day when the kids are working independently (even if for 5 minutes!) to organize. I file immediately and put things up. I try to make things I can re-use so I dont have to spend a lot of time making things over and over again. And, the best thing I do is collaborate with my team. We team plan and share the workload of lesson plans, copies, typing, and creating. Do y'all do that, or is your team on board with it?
ReplyDeleteLast thing I can say is my first principal once told me (during my first year CRAZIness!) - "you can't do what's best for children unless you do what's best for you. Always take care of you. Set priorities. It will all get done.". I hope this helps!! I'll be thinking about you and your stress load! :)
Kelly
First Grade Fairytales
Thanks for the great advice! We do plan as a team and then split up the work, but I still seem crazy busy. Perhaps I need to look at how we prep. Maybe a solution lies in reorganizing our planning. I love the principal's words of wisdom. Teachers (and moms) always put ourselves last. You can't teach if you don't have your wits about you!
DeleteI love Kelly's advice! I'm like you.... often wondering when I'm the only one left at school at 4:00 "am I doing it wrong?" I want so much to do everything I can, I overplan, overthink. It's also just who I am.
ReplyDeleteChrissy
First Grade Found Me
Absolutely! I finish one thing to find four more things that need to be done. I have a tendency to overthink things and change my mind. I have to watch that and remember the KISS method. Not so good with that!
DeleteI am in my first year of first grade, and have been teaching about 13 years. I have always spent more time than most at school, then carry several bags home. I know a part of it, I am not organized. I move from one thing to another. I go online and look for something, get lost looking for things...and before you know it, more time is gone. Those I look at who are done, do it well, and are always ready...it is a part of their personality.
ReplyDeleteSo...are we doing it wrong? Who knows.But it is me, and as of yet, I can't seem to fix it.
I love your honesty with yourself! Wow, your first year and so much going on. You are a trooper. That first year is crazy no matter how organized you are. I promise, you get a couple of years under your belt and you might surprise yourself with your organizational skills. ;) My teaching partner and I have discussed it and feel that we both fall into the research trap. I just love hunting for new stuff. I can't help it. Actually right now I'm replying to you on one computer and reading a book study on K-5 Common Core on another. My goal is to find that balance between research and free time. I'm going to start by setting limits and scheduling time to research. Baby step goals are best!
DeleteGood day! I could have sworn I've been to this site before but after checking through some of the post I realized it's new to me.
ReplyDeleteNοnethеless, I'm definitely delighted I found it and I'll bе bookmarking and chесking back oftеn!
Look into my weblog - payday loans online
Good answers in return of this query with genuine arguments and telling all on the topic of that.
ReplyDeleteReview my site - 90 day payday loans
An interesting discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe
ReplyDeletethat you need to publish more on this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but usually people do not talk about such subjects.
To the next! Best wishes!!
Check out my weblog :: attempt to quit smoking
Hi there to every one, it's in fact a fastidious for me to pay a visit this web page, it includes precious Information.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to visit my website: costume party
Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as
ReplyDeleteI provide credit and sources back to your website? My blog
site is in the very same area of interest as yours and my users
would really benefit from a lot of the information you provide here.
Please let me know if this ok with you. Appreciate it!
Here is my web site; increase traffic